Planning for summer but how easy is it to get around now - tests? vax status? Museums and Restaurants restricted? Masks? Chunnel? Going country to country? Or is everything somewhat back to normal?

Big Al 1992 said:

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Planning for summer but how easy is it to get around now - tests? vax status? Museums and Restaurants restricted? Masks? Chunnel? Going country to country? Or is everything somewhat back to normal?

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London is pretty much normal once you get into the country. Only time I wear masks now is on public transit and in stores. Have to test to get into the country from the other places though. Went to Paris this summer. Mask on the Eurostar required and inside most places… they also required you show a vaccine passport to get into every bar and restaurant when I was there. Could have changed since then though.

Just got back from London. Current COVID requirements are CDC card with proof vaccination, fill out a personal locator form and a "day 2 test". To get back to the US you'll need a "fit to fly" test. You need to book and pay for the 2 day test before leaving and submit the personal locator form on-line. American Airlines uses the Verifly ap to make sure you've got all the current paper work. You can do that the day before your flight to make sure you are good to go.

The 2 day test must be taken before the end of your second full day in Britain. The day you arrive is called day 0. So, if you get there on Wednesday your day 2 is Friday. For this test, we used ExpressTest at Heathrow. After we got out of customs, we went straight to the testing center and got them done. Only took about 15 minutes. When you schedule the test, you have to pick a time. I selected about an hour after our scheduled landing. The plane was early and customs was quick and we were there about an hour early for our time. They weren't crowded and we got right in. It was easy.

For the 'fit to fly', we used Boots (CVS of Britain). They are all over London. We (4 of us) scheduled them for a Monday at 8am and were done by 8:15.

Most sites are requesting masks but most people aren't wearing them. I never did and didn't get any mask shaming. The tube requires them but I saw many people not wearing them.

We flew AA from DFW to Heathrow and the plane going was half full and coming back maybe 30% full.

Of course, all of this could change by Summer.

Follow up question as I have a trip in early Dec. The plan is to fly to London landing Sunday about 10 am, and then going same day straight to Kings Cross for a Chunnel trip to Paris. Stay 3 nights in Paris and then Chunnel back to London on Wednesday for 4 nights, flying back to US on Sunday on the 13:30 flight.

So the question is upon landing in London on Sunday from US, how will I take the 2 day covid test if I am leaving only a few hours later Sunday afternoon to go to Paris? Will I have to schedule the day 2 test immediately after getting through UK immigration to take it on Sunday before boarding the Chunnel train 4 hours later…or can I skip this test?

Upon returning to London from Paris on Wednesday sounds like I do not need a negative covid test before boarding the Chunnel train, but I will need to schedule the day 2 test on Thurs or Fri. And since I am flying back to US on Sunday, if I take the day 2 test on Friday then that will be within 72 hrs of my flight on Sunday so that test could work for both. Does this make sense?

Oilman,

There are a lot of moving COVID parts in your plan. If you did that today, I'm not sure how many hoops you'd have to jump through.

COVID rules are changing all the time, so who knows what they'll be in 6 weeks. The news doesn't bother to report it but the delta variant is waning in the US. Currently, there's little COVID in France but new cases are creeping back up in the UK.

It were me, I'd select either London or Paris and save the other for another trip. That would make things easier. You can spend a week in either city and still not see it all.

whatsy...you are probably right. Pre-covid taking a quick 2 day sidetrip to Paris worked great. Now not so much.

OilManAg91 said:

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Follow up question as I have a trip in early Dec. The plan is to fly to London landing Sunday about 10 am, and then going same day straight to Kings Cross for a Chunnel trip to Paris. Stay 3 nights in Paris and then Chunnel back to London on Wednesday for 4 nights, flying back to US on Sunday on the 13:30 flight.

So the question is upon landing in London on Sunday from US, how will I take the 2 day covid test if I am leaving only a few hours later Sunday afternoon to go to Paris? Will I have to schedule the day 2 test immediately after getting through UK immigration to take it on Sunday before boarding the Chunnel train 4 hours later…or can I skip this test?

Upon returning to London from Paris on Wednesday sounds like I do not need a negative covid test before boarding the Chunnel train, but I will need to schedule the day 2 test on Thurs or Fri. And since I am flying back to US on Sunday, if I take the day 2 test on Friday then that will be within 72 hrs of my flight on Sunday so that test could work for both. Does this make sense?

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I can answer some of these questions since I just got back from London 2 weeks ago.

You can take the 2 day covid test at Heathrow airport, right after you land and clear immigration. You can schedule this in advance.

Yes, your 2 day covid test that you take on Friday will suffice for getting back in the US, and fulfill your 2 day covid test requirement for London. Thats exactly what I did, I took the 2 day test on Friday in London, got my results back Saturday, and flew back to the US on Sunday. Although, I would schedule the test for Thursday just to be on the safe side.

ea1060…thanks for the info…this sounds like it might work. How do I schedule the test to take at Heathrow, and obviously you get the test result immediately, is this correct?

OilManAg91 said:

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ea1060…thanks for the info…this sounds like it might work. How do I schedule the test to take at Heathrow, and obviously you get the test result immediately, is this correct?

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Whenever you fill out your passenger locator form (a huge pain) beforehand, it will require you to put the code and location for your 2 day covid test. It will allow you to search for covid test providers in the london area, and you can just select heathrow airport.

Yes, you get your test results in 15 minutes. Although I dont think it matters when you get the test results, as long as you do the actual test within the 2 day period. The testing site automatically reports your results to the government, so you dont have to do anything on your end except for take the test.

It all seems pretty overwhelming beforehand, but the actual process of doing it wasnt that bad. The biggest pain for me was scheduling the 2 day test and paying for it (200 pounds). Its not like how it is in the US where you can get a covid test at CVS for free.

ea1060 said:

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OilManAg91 said:

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ea1060…thanks for the info…this sounds like it might work. How do I schedule the test to take at Heathrow, and obviously you get the test result immediately, is this correct?

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Whenever you fill out your passenger locator form (a huge pain) beforehand, it will require you to put the code and location for your 2 day covid test. It will allow you to search for covid test providers in the london area, and you can just select heathrow airport.

Yes, you get your test results in 15 minutes. Although I dont think it matters when you get the test results, as long as you do the actual test within the 2 day period. The testing site automatically reports your results to the government, so you dont have to do anything on your end except for take the test.

It all seems pretty overwhelming beforehand, but the actual process of doing it wasnt that bad. The biggest pain for me was scheduling the 2 day test and paying for it (200 pounds). Its not like how it is in the US where you can get a covid test at CVS for free.

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Damn, mine was only 80 pounds.

Txgunrnnr said:

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ea1060 said:

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OilManAg91 said:

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ea1060…thanks for the info…this sounds like it might work. How do I schedule the test to take at Heathrow, and obviously you get the test result immediately, is this correct?

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Whenever you fill out your passenger locator form (a huge pain) beforehand, it will require you to put the code and location for your 2 day covid test. It will allow you to search for covid test providers in the london area, and you can just select heathrow airport.

Yes, you get your test results in 15 minutes. Although I dont think it matters when you get the test results, as long as you do the actual test within the 2 day period. The testing site automatically reports your results to the government, so you dont have to do anything on your end except for take the test.

It all seems pretty overwhelming beforehand, but the actual process of doing it wasnt that bad. The biggest pain for me was scheduling the 2 day test and paying for it (200 pounds). Its not like how it is in the US where you can get a covid test at CVS for free.

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Damn, mine was only 80 pounds.

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Didnt you get the one where they ship it to you and you could do it from your hotel? I went to an actual clinic where they did the test for me. I just wanted the easiest option.

Yes I did. Ok, can understand that price then. Paid for the convenience factor.

Looks like I will be able to do the lateral flow tests (whatever that is) which are supposedly cheaper and quick. So that should make it easier to take the test upon UK arrival, but will still need the PCR test coming back to the UK from Paris so I can also use it for my flight back to US.

Holy **** this sounds like such a beatdown. Its not even worth going! I'll just wait until the world realizes what a farce covid and the globalist truly are.

My tests cost 69 pounds each. You can't use your 2 day test for the "fit to fly" if it's done more than 3 days before you fly home.

I did ExpressTest at Heathrow for the 2 day and Boots in London for the "fit to fly". You have to schedule and pay for the 2 day before you leave. You can schedule the "fit to fly" before you leave or while you're there.

In London, many attractions are asking you to book a time to visit (the Tower and Westminster are not). Most of the ones that did asked for a time didn't seem to care if we were an hour early or late. If you want to go to Sky Garden or The Shard, they were crowded and I'd make sure I did the booking. Booking the times was a pain.

whasty said:

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My tests cost 69 pounds each. You can't use your 2 day test for the "fit to fly" if it's done more than 3 days before you fly home.

I did ExpressTest at Heathrow for the 2 day and Boots in London for the "fit to fly". You have to schedule and pay for the 2 day before you leave. You can schedule the "fit to fly" before you leave or while you're there.

In London, many attractions are asking you to book a time to visit (the Tower and Westminster are not). Most of the ones that did asked for a time didn't seem to care if we were an hour early or late. If you want to go to Sky Garden or The Shard, they were crowded and I'd make sure I did the booking. Booking the times was a pain.

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In the OP's case he is going to schedule the 2 day test on Thursday or Friday and fly back home Sunday. So his 2 day test will suffice for the fit to fly test as well.

ea1060,

Not to be picky but the OP just said he was going in the summer and was curious what the restrictions are now

Oilman was talking about leaving in December, landing at Heathrow, Eurostar to Paris and then back to England. I told him, that if it was me, I select either London or Paris and save the other for another time.

In late September, my BIL flew from DFW to Paris via Heathrow. He had to take the "fit to fly" test for the UK (ended Oct 4th) and fill out the personal locator. I would be surprised if they'd let you clear customs, tube to the Eurostar and then off to Paris w/o the 2 day test.